For more information about Kansas Rowing
or to fill out a rowing recruit questionnaire,
please visit www.kuathletics.com/rowing
For any questions, contact Emily Martin at
(785) 864-3584 or by e-mail at emart99@
ku.edu.
Credits
The 2011-12 University of Kansas rowing media guide is a
product of the Kansas media relations office, published by
Kansas Athletics. This guide was written, designed and edited
by media relations student assistant Weston Pletcher. Editorial
and design assistance by Alissa Bauer, Christine Dieckmann,
Erin Penning and the Kansas media relations staff. Photography
by Jeff and Laura Jacobsen with contributed photos from
members of the KU rowing team and Lindsey Miles.

October 1-2

Head of the Oklahoma

Oklahoma City, Okla.

November 5-6

Head of the Hooch

Chattanooga, Tenn.

March 9-11

Oklahoma Invite

Oklahoma City, OK

March 17-18

Louisville Invite

Oak Ridge, Tenn.

March 24

vs. Clemson

Clemson, S.C.

April 7

Kansas Cup (KU vs. KSU)

Kansas City, Kan.

April 14-15

Knecht Cup

Camden, N.J.

April 28

Big 12 Championship

Oklahoma City, Okla.

May 12

C-USA Championship

Oak Ridge, Tenn.

May 27-29

NCAAâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s

West Windsor, N.J.

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“Being a part of the KU Rowing
team has changed my life forever.
I can’t imagine life without rowing
or the friends I have made. I
know that these girls will be my
friends forever. I have been able
to continue my competitiveness at
a D-I level and learn a new sport.”
- Senior Lindsey Bricklemyer

â&#x20AC;&#x153;I had the opportunity to
volunteer with the Special
Olympics several times this
past year through rowing. It
feels really good to get to know
the kids throughout the day
by just giving a little bit of your
time.â&#x20AC;? - Senior Molly Boehner
Rowing became a varsity sport at the University of Kansas in 1995.

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Completed in January of 2009, the University of Kansas Boathouse sits near the Kansas
River in Lawrence’s Burcham Park. The 14,000 square-foot facility is less than 10 blocks
from campus, making it the closest boathouse of any school in the Big 12 Conference.

Built to withstand a flood event of eight feet, the boathouse can house 65 boats at a time in the lower level storage
area.

With a 90-locker team locker room and a 50-locker public locker room, the boathouse accommodates both the
Kansas women’s rowing team
and the Kansas Crew Club.
Also sporting a full kitchen and
catering room, the boathouse
provides a great place for
rowers to congregate during the
season and the 2,000 square
foot multi-functional team
room provides a place for the
team to build camaraderie.
The boathouse also has a
second-level deck that allows
rowers to spend time outside
before practice.
Construction for the boathouse
was funded in large part by a special student activities fee, ratified by the University’s student body in 2006.

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The team locker room
has 90 lockers. Each
rower gets her own
individual locker with a
personalized name plate.

All four-year letterwinners get their name permanently placed in their locker for future rowers to see.

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In addition to the team locker room, the
boathouse has a 2,000 square-foot multifunctional team room that leads out to a
second floor balcony for the rowers to relax
and build team chemistry. It also provides
space for rowers to work out indoors on
the ergometers while watching television.

â&#x20AC;&#x153;The team room is great.
You can watch television,
movies, listen to your
iPod or crank up the
radio while working out.â&#x20AC;?
- Junior Olivia Kinet

The state-of-the-art training room allows rowers to be treated for any
injuries or soreness to perform at their full capacity throughout the season..

Kelly Turney joined the training staff in July of 2011. She is currently a staff certified
athletic trainer with the rowing team.
Turney comes to KU after being a graduate assistant athletic trainer for the rowing team at
Clemson University. At Clemson, she attended the NCAA Rowing National Championships
in 2010 and 2011. She completed her Masterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s degree in human resource development.
Kelly Turney
Certified Athletic
Trainer
First Year at Kansas

Prior to that, Turney was an intern athletic trainer at Wofford College for the football
team.
She graduated from Winthrop in 2008 with a degree in athletic training. While attending
Winthrop, Turney was a goalkeeper on the soccer team.
Turney is currently a member of NATA and enjoys cooking and reading in her free time.

The athletic training staff assists with both injury prevention and maintaining a healthy diet.

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â&#x20AC;&#x153;Brady is always there to teach you something new and
pushes
pushes you to do things you never thought you could.
He
He is extremely encouraging and very knowledgeable
about what he is teaching you.â&#x20AC;? - Junior Molly Boehner
The $8 million, 42,000 square-foot Anderson Family Strength and Conditioning Center opened in the summer of
2003 and features advanced weight training equipment, a cardiovascular workout area and meeting rooms.

Every sport has reserved hours ffor exclusive
i use off the ffacility
i i each week.
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Aside from training and team rooms,
the boathouse also has a full-service
kitchen. The training staff stocks
the kitchen with healthy drinks and
food, so rowers can make meals or
have a snack before or after practice.

The kitchen has a full-size refrigerator, microwave, griddle and dishwasher.

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Rowing, or Crew as it is sometimes called, is the oldest intercollegiate sport in America. The first sporting contest
of any kind between two universities was a rowing race between Harvard and Yale in 1852. That race is still
held annually. The first formal womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s rowing program began in 1877 at Wellesley College in Massachusetts.

Rowing is an NCAA championship sport for women only. The first championship meet was held in 1997 at
Rancho Cordova, Calif. Division II and Division III championships were added in 2002. Rowing continues to
grow immensely in popularity, as the number of NCAA programs has grown from 74 in 1997 to over 140 in 2011.

d strength
h and
d aerobic
b
d
h
A
hl
h
Rowers possess good
endurance
characteristics.
Athletes
in this
sport
must thrive in a team environment. With eight rowers in a boat performing a common task,
everyone must have a strong commitment to her teammates to bring the boat to racing speed.

ABEAM - directly off the BODY ANGLE - amount
side of the shell.
at catch, of forward lean
of oars person’s body from
ASTERN - directly to the hips; most types of strokes
rear of the shell.
have a 60 degree body
“BACK IT DOWN” angle at catch.
- command from the BOW - the forward section
coxswain for the rowers to of the shell.
reverse the blades and row
backward in short strokes. BREAKAGE - the damage
to boat or equipment;
BLADE - flat surface of oar breakage during first 20
usually varying in width seconds of race is grounds
from 6 1/2 in. to 7 1/4 in. for referee recalling all
and in length from 24 in. to shells and restarting the
30 in. The surfaces of the race.
blades are usually painted
CATCH - the point in the
in the team’s colors.
stroke cycle at which the
BLADE WORK - action blade enters the water.
of blade during stroke,
encompassing
such CHECK - amount of
techniques as “catch,” interruption of forward
“feathering,” etc., used to progress of shell, which
describe the manner in commonly occurs at the
which the rower handles catch and sometimes at
the oar.
the release.

COLLAR - portion of the
oar shaft which fits into
the oar lock for leverage
by the rower.

LEG DRIVE - power
applied to stroke by legs
against the stretcher
towards bow.

COXSWAIN - member
of the crew who sits in
stationary seat at stern
or bow facing forward;
primarily charged with
steering; often calls rate
and aids in carrying
strategy by gauging the
competition’s position.

LOOM - shaft of oar,
between
blade
and
handle.
RACING START - first
few strokes of race, usually
shorter and quicker than
those used through body
of race, critical in setting
race tempo.

DECK - sections for shell
at bow and stern covered STROKE RATE - number
of strokes per minute;
by thin, light material.
usually varies in race from
FINISH - as part of stroke 38-40 at start, to 28-34 in
cycle, the last part of the the middle and 34-42 at
the finish.
drive before release.
LAYBACK - amount of
lean of rowers body at
finish; less angle than at
the catch.

SWEEP - oar, usually 12
ft. long, one per rower, less
than 7 lbs. in weight. See
“loom” and “blade.”

The coxswain can steer the boat with either a rudder or by having one side of the crew row harder.
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At the Olympic and intercollegiate level, rowing races are 2000 meters long (about 1.25 miles)
and take six to seven minutes to complete. As many as seven boats can enter each race. Each
boat can hold one to eight rowers and an additional person, known as the coxswain. The
coxswain is responsible for steering the boat and helping the team execute its race strategy.
Nearly every race at the collegiate level is in either a four or eight person boat, with a coxswain.

The competitive season for
rowing starts mid-March
and runs to the end of
May. In the fall, the team
competes in longer-distance
races, known as head races,
to break up off-season
training and provide rowers
with racing experience prior
to the spring. KU races at
events across the country,
including New Jersey,
Tennessee and Texas. Races
are usually on weekends,
so rowers rarely miss
classes due to traveling.

Head races usually take place in the fall on rivers; for example, the Head of the Charles and the Head of the
Oklahoma. Rowers, starting the course one after the other about 15 seconds apart, navigate three miles of
river around bends and under bridges. Whoever completes the course in the shortest amount of time wins.

Watching Races
Signs of success:
• Continuous, fluid motion of rowers.
• Synchronization. Rowers strive for perfect
synchronization in the boat.
• Clean catches with the blade. Excess splashing
means the blades are not entering the water
correctly.
• Even bladework. When the blades are
brought out of the water, they should all move
horizontally at the same height, just above the
water.
• The shells don’t move a consistent speed slowest at the catch, quickest at the release. A
good crew times the catch at the right moment
to maintain the speed of the shell.
• Strokes per minute. An eight can achieve a
higher stroke rate than a single. A tall rower
can take less strokes per minute than someone
smaller and still move faster.

Kansas, Kansas State, Oklahoma and Texas
compete in the Big 12 Championship at the
end of the spring season each year. The Big 12
Rowing Championship will enter its first year
as a fully-supported conference championship
in 2012.
Kansas rowing hosted the inaugural Big 12
Rowing Championship at Wyandotte County
Lake in Kansas City, Kan., on May 2, 2009.
Oklahoma rowing will host the 2012 Big 12
Rowing Championship this season at the
Oklahoma River on April 28.

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“The Big 12 Conference Championship is
a really big event because we’re competing
against schools that are big rivals, like
Kansas State and Texas. It’s an event we
look forward to every year. One of our
biggest goals is to compete well and
come away with that championship.”
– Senior Kathryn Schoonover

On May 3, 2009, the University of Kansas rowing team
announced that it would join Conference USA as an
affiliate member along with Kansas State, Oklahoma, Texas,
Tennessee, Alabama, Tulsa, SMU and Central Florida.
By forming a nine-team conference, the winner of the
Conference USA Championship will automatically qualify
for the NCAA Championship beginning in 2013, the first
year the NCAA will institute automatic qualifying for the
NCAA Rowing Championship.
The inaugural Conference USA Championship was held in
Oak Ridge, Tenn., May 15-16, 2010.
In its first year in the conference, Kansas placed three rowers
on Conference USA All-Academic Team, the most of any
school.
In addition, Lindsey Lawrence was named to the AllConference Team.

The Novice Eight squad brought home a second-place finish at the 2011 Conference USA
Championship with a time of 6:47.87 in the grand final. However, the Novice Eight race
did not count for any points in the scoring system used by Conference USA for the regatta.

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Rowing
offered

began
an
at
KU
in
1995,
1995
and
and
it
is
is
one
o e
on
at
Kansas.
Each
year,
the
rowing
squad

of
of
18
18
averages

varsity
vaars
rsity
rsi
ity
sports
spor
sp
orts
ts
75
members.

Rowing receives 20 full scholarships, which can be divided between members of the team. That
is more than any other womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s sport at the NCAA level and second only to football among all
teams. On average, more than 40 members of the team earn a partial scholarship every year.
In its 16 years, the Kansas rowing program
has achieved many significant milestones.
In 1999, only four years after the program
was established, KU earned its first Top
20 national ranking and the Varsity Eight
won the Intercollegiate Rowing Association
Championship. The Jayhawks went on to earn
a Top 25 national ranking for three consecutive
years, from 1999 to 2001. In 2005, the team
had a program-record 10 first-place finishes.
In 2009, the First Varsity Eight set a school record for 2000 meters with a time of 6:26.
KU rowing has achieved a lot of success out of the water, as well. In two of the past four years, a Kansas rower has
received the prestigious Big 12 Prentice Gautt Postgraduate Scholarship, which only two athletes from each Big 12
school earn each year. The scholarship provides $7,500 to each recipient to use toward graduate or professional school
costs. Additonally, KU rowing had a score of 970 on the NCAAâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Academic Progress Rate out of a possible 1000.

KUâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s rowing team consists of two squads: the returning squad and the novice squad, for
athletes in their first year of collegiate competition. The novice squad only races against
other novice squads throughout the season. The vast majority of novices have no previous
rowing experience before attending college. Both squads are considered varsity athletes at KU.

The scenic Kansas River is the
practice site for Kansas rowing
and will be its home competition
site beginning in 2012. The
river is a perfect venue for
participating in and spectating.
The river is centrally located in
Lawrence, running just north
of downtown and adjacent
to Burcham Park, the site of
local concerts and the team’s
boathouse, less than five minutes
from KU’s campus.
“The Kansas River is a really
nice place to practice,” KU coach
Rob Catloth said. “It gives us a
peaceful place to concentrate on rowing. It also has been a great
place to hold competitions because of the great viewing areas.”

Coaching Highlights
2010: Second-straight year KU tied for the most student-athletes on the Conference USA
Rowing All-Academic Team with three selections
2009: Varsity Eight sets school record for 2000 meters at 6:26.2
2008: Team finishes second at Big 12 Invitational
Kara Boston receives Big 12 Prentice Gautt Postgraduate Scholarship
2007: Team finishes second at Big 12 Invitational
Lindsey Miles receives Big 12 Prentice Gautt Postgraduate Scholarship
2005: Team sets a program record with 10 first-place finishes
2004: Varsity Eight wins the Kansas Cup for the fifth-consecutive year
2002: Team posts three first-place finishes at the Knecht Cup
2001: Team finishes the season nationally ranked for third-consecutive year
2000: Top 20 ranking for second-straight year
Risa Petty named COSIDA Academic All-American
Varsity Eight are inaugural Kansas Cup Champions against Kansas State
1999: Varsity receives first ever Top 20 national ranking
Varsity Eight wins the Intercollegiate Rowing Association Championship
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Rob Catloth was named
the Kansas rowing coach when
the team was founded in 1995
and remains the only varsity
rowing coach in KU history. Now
entering his 17th season, Catloth
will look to build upon a strong
foundation set by the program’s
recent successes and usher in a
new age of Kansas rowing with
a completed boathouse on the
Kansas River.
In 2010, Catloth guided
senior Nicole Schneider to a
unanimous selection for the
Conference USA All-Academic
Team, for the second-straight year.
ear Schneider is one of only two student-athletes to make the Conference USA
Rowing All-Academic Team in each year of its existence.
Catloth has coached KU to numerous milestones in the program’s
Ca
history. Those include an Intercollegiate Rowing Association
his
Championship, three consecutive seasons being ranked and the team’s
Ch
firrst ever Top-20 national ranking. In 2009, the Varsity Eight set a school
record for 2000 meters with a time of 6:26.2. Other milestones include
rec
victories over in-state rival Kansas State for five-consecutive years of the
vic
Kansas Cup, as well as, a program-record 10 first-place finishes in 2005.
Ka
Catloth has also seen two of his rowers receive the prestigious Big 12
Ca
Prentice Gault Postgraduate Scholarship in the past four seasons and
Pr
Risa Petty was named a COSIDA Academic All-American in 2000.
Ri
Catloth has developed a philosophy that creates strong team
un
unity and produces focused, competitive student-athletes. The rowing
program is also structured to promote a close interaction between
pr
fre
freshmen and upperclassmen, as Catloth and his staff believe that
fre
freshmen mentoring expedites the transition to university life.
Catloth’s success at Kansas was recognized nationally in the summer
of 2000 when he was selected, with former University of Pennsylvania
co
coach Barb Kirch, to lead the U.S. freshmen and pre-elite camp at the
AR
ARCO Olympic Training Center. Catloth and Kirch led the Nations
Cup Four to a gold medal (the 23-and-under world
w
championship) in Copenhagen, Denmark, in July 2000.
Catloth, a Lawrence native, graduated from Kansas in 1985 with a bachelor’s degree. He and his wife,
Jennifer, reside in Baldwin City, Kan. They have three children, Grant and Olivia, who are both undergraduates at
KU, and a one-year-old named Van.

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Jen Myers
Associate Head Coach
12th Season
(Kansas ‘98)
Jennifer Myers begins her 12th year as assistant
to head coach Rob Catloth and fourth year as associate
head coach. Myers heads up the role of recruiting
walk-ons from campus and teaching and developing
first-year rowers. She also assists with team travel
and day-to-day team administration. Myers begins
her eighth season coaching the Novice program in
2011. She has also coached the Varsity Four at KU.
During Myers’ career at Kansas, her novice
programs have had first place finishes at the SouthCentral Regionals, the Big 12 Invitational and the Knecht
Cup regatta.
In the spring of 2011, the First Novice Eight placed
second at the Conference USA and Big 12 Championship.
Throughout the spring the Novice Eight remained
undefeated versus Kansas State. At the Knecht Cup in
the fall season, the First Novice Eight took home a silver
medal, while the Second Novice Eight won gold.
In 2008, the Novice Eight won at both the Big 12
Inviatational and the SIRA regatta.
In the spring of 2004, Myers was nominated for
Assistant Coach of the Year by the Collegiate Rowing
Coaches Association.

As a student-athlete at Kansas, Myers had a
successful collegiate rowing career. Myers was a three-year
letterwinner from 1996-1998, after lettering her freshman
year at the University of Wyoming in swimming. During
her senior year she was voted team captain and was named
Outstanding Oarswoman.
A Lawrence, Kan., native, Myers graduated from
KU in the fall of 1998 with a bachelor’s degree in exercise
science. She interned with the program that fall and
became an assistant coach the following season. Myers
and her husband, James, live in Lawrence with their sons
Koen (4) and Hudsen (2).

Emily Martin is serving her first year as an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator after two years as a
graduate assistant. She has become very familiar with the Kansas rowing tem after competing for the team from
2006 to 2009. The three-year letterwinner was a team captain her senior season. Martin’s duties as an assistant coach
include the handling of on-campus recruiting functions and assisting with both varsity and novice squads.
Martin’s duties as graduate assistant over the last two seasons included assisting in recruiting correspondence,
teaching the sport of rowing to the incoming novices and general administrative tasks.
In 2007, Martin was a member of the First Novice Eight for the entire season, including the Knecht Cup
in Camden, N.J., where the team took first place in the Grand Final, defeating second-place Rhode Island by 5.5
seconds with a time of 7:16.0.
During her junior and senior years, Martin was a member of the First Varsity Eight boat for every race,
including the South-Central Regionals where the team set a school record for 2000 meters with a time of 6:26.2.
Following the 2008 season, Martin was named the teams’ Most Improved Oarswoman. She also was named to the
Big 12 Commissioner’s and Athletic Director’s Honor Rolls.
Prior to her stint with the KU rowing team, Martin competed in volleyball at Butler Community College
from 2004 to 2006. Martin majored in sports management and also earned a minor in business. The Wellington,
Kan., native graduated in 2009 and is currently working on a master’s degree in sports studies.

“Emily is wonderful. To have
another support as a novice,
especially somebody who just
completed her rowing career, is
a real plus. She knows exactly
what we’re going through. It’s
really great to have her firsthand experience and support.”
– Junior Ashleigh Allam
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LeAnna Kemp is entering her first year as a graduate assistant coach for the Jayhawk rowing team. Kemp
joins the rowing staff after spending the 2010-11 season as a volunteer assistant for the Jayhawk rowing team, where
she worked with the novice group.
Her duties as a graduate assistant include recruiting correspondence, teaching the incoming novice the sport
of rowing and general administrative duties.
A KU rower from 2002-05, Kemp earned the “Essence of a Jayhawk” Award during her junior year. She was
also named a Jayhawk Scholar during her sophomore and junior years. Kemp joined the team her sophomore year
and became a consistent competitor as coxswain for the First and Second Novice Eight boats, as well as the Novice
Four boat. As a member of the Novice Four boat, earned a third place finish at the Knecht Cup and took home a
gold medal against Cincinnati. On the First Novice Eight, earned a gold medal against Kansas State and a secondplace finish against Texas. As a member of the Second Novice Eight notched a second place finish at the Big 12
Invitational. Was named to the Big 12 Commissioner’s Honor Roll. During her junior year she was a member of the
Varsity Four boat that placed fifth in the C Finals at the South-Central Regionals.
The Kansas City, Mo., native graduated in 2005 from KU with a degree in journalism. After graduating from
KU, Kemp spent four years in Jacksonville, Fla., working on the Young Life staff, a non-profit Christian ministry.
While in Jacksonville, she also spent time as a rowing volunteer assistant at the Episcopal School of Jacksonville,
working with middle school-aged girls.
Kemp is currently working on her master’s degree in education with a concentration in physical education.

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Bernadette Gray-Little
University Chancellor
Third Year

Gray-Little At-A-Glance
Bachelor’s............Marywood College ‘66
Master’s..............St. Louis University ‘68
Doctorate ...........St. Louis University ‘70
Year at KU................................... Third

A highly-regarded scholar, teacher and university leader, Bernadette Gray-Little began her tenure as the 17th
chancellor of the University of Kansas on August 15, 2009. As KU chancellor, Gray-Little is the chief executive officer
of the university, overseeing campuses in Lawrence, Kansas City, Overland Park and Wichita in addition to research
and educational centers in Topeka, Hutchinson, Parsons and elsewhere in the state. She succeeds Robert Hemenway,
who served as KU chancellor for 14 years. Gray-Little has identified enhancing undergraduate education, raising KU’s
scholarly profile and securing the resources needed for students, and the university, to succeed as three of her initial
goals for KU.
Prior to her time at Kansas, Chancellor Gray-Little previously
was executive vice chancellor and provost from 2006 to 2009 at the
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. A professor of psychology,
Gray-Little rose to the post of UNC’s chief academic officer after
successive administrative appointments, including dean of the College
of Arts and Sciences, executive associate provost, senior associate dean
for undergraduate education for the college and chair of the Department
of Psychology. In these roles, she earned a reputation as a superb
fundraiser, a relationship builder, a strong advocate for faculty and for
research and a champion for the highest quality educational experience
for students.
A native of eastern North Carolina, Gray-Little received her
bachelor’s degree from Marywood College in Scranton, Pa., and her
master’s and doctoral degrees in psychology from St. Louis University.
Her postdoctoral research in cross-cultural psychology was funded by
a fellowship from the Fulbright Foundation for study in Denmark. She
has also been a Social Science Research Council Fellow and a recipient
of a Ford Foundation Senior Scholar Fellowship through the National
Research Council.
Her research falls primarily into three areas, two of which
reflect a continuing interest in the relation of social and cultural factors to personality and psychopathology. First,
she has studied the relevance of the client and clinician’s ethnic/racial membership to the diagnosis and treatment of
psychological disorder. The second area concerns the social determinants of self-esteem and is manifest in research
on factors associated with self-esteem in children and adolescents of varied ethnic groups. In a third area of research,
she has explored the association of relationship satisfaction to the decision-making and influence strategies used by
couples in intimate relationships.
Gray-Little is married to Shade Key Little, who was assistant dean for academic support services at UNC. They
have two adult children and one grandchild.

Zenger At-A-Glance
Bachelor’s.......................Kansas State ‘88
Doctorate................................Kansas ‘96
Year at KU............................... Second

Dr. Sheahon (SHAY-un) Zenger is a coach at heart, but when KU Chancellor Bernadette Gray-Little introduced
the Hays, Kan., native as KU’s Athletics Director January 3, 2011, he promised not to call any plays for the coaches.
That doesn’t mean, though, that he won’t be right there with them - and their student-athletes - every step of the way.
For it’s his genuine care for coaches and student-athletes that has stamped his career in intercollegiate athletics.
Zenger comes to KU after serving for five years as athletics director at Illinois State University, helping steer
ISU Athletics to a place of prominence in the Missouri Valley Conference. The Redbirds won a conference-leading
seven league titles during the 2009-10 season and captured their second Valley All-Sports Trophy in three years.
ISU’s Weisbecker Scholarship Fund membership grew 65
percent during his tenure, and capital projects boomed. The Illinois
State Baseball Stadium at Duffy Bass Field was officially dedicated in
May 2009 to culminate the completion of that $3.5 million project. In
addition, funding for the Redbird Arena locker room improvements
has also been secured.
With experience as an educator, coach, fundraiser and
administrator, Zenger brought a plan to Illinois State, and with the
help of the head coaches and administrative staff, personalized that
strategic plan for Redbird Athletics. As a result, the athletic department
saw record-high grade-point averages (GPA) in each of the last four
years, including a best-ever department-wide 3.13 GPA in fall 2009.
Redbird student-athletes now regularly carry a GPA of 3.0 or better.
ISU student-athletes have also contributed more than 2,000 hours of
community service in each of the last five years, including 3,500 hours
during the 2009-10 athletic season.
In addition to MVC All-Sports titles in 2008 and 2010, in his
last three years at ISU Zenger led the department to 16 top-five finishes
in its 17 Valley sports - the highest percentage of top-five finishers in
league history.
Zenger secured a five-year apparel contract for Redbird
Athletics, and significantly increased the marketing of the program in the Central Illinois region, most notably with
a campaign centered on the award-winning marketing campaign “Spread the Red.” He also witnessed record-setting
attendance figures in football, men’s basketball and women’s basketball, while seeing 17 Redbird teams advance to
postseason play.
At the beginning of his career, Zenger wasn’t headed toward a career in administration. He was nine years old
when he told his father he wanted to be a coach, and it didn’t take long for that dream to materialize. After playing
football at Fort
Hays State and Mid-American Nazarene College, he finished his undergraduate degree at Kansas State. Even before
he received his bachelor’s degree in English and secondary education in 1988, Zenger was assisting the football
coaches at Manhattan (Kan.) High School. His first college football coaching job came at Drake University right after
graduation.

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In 1989, at age 23, Zenger joined Bill Snyder’s staff at Kansas State as one of the nation’s youngest full-time
football staff members. He served in key roles as assistant recruiting coordinator and director of football operations.
Zenger completed his master’s degree in journalism and mass communication in 1992, while helping Snyder bring
Wildcat football to unprecedented success.
It became evident, though, that more than coaching was in store for Zenger. He sought advice from then-KU
Chancellor Gene Budig, who convinced him to pursue a Ph.D. at KU. As he completed his Ph.D. in educational policy
and leadership (1996), Zenger contributed communications
and special projects support to the office of the executive
vice-chancellor, Ed Meyen, and wrote the professional life
history of then-chancellor Del Shankel, while strengthening
his understanding of university leadership at the highest
levels.
While focusing his attention on academics, he
managed to stay involved in the world of intercollegiate
athletics, specifically football. ‘Involved’ may be an
understatement. In 1993 Zenger and a friend founded
American Football Quarterly, a magazine for coaches.
Zenger served as publisher - and then editor - until 1995,
when he sold his share of the thriving magazine.
Still, coaching stayed in his blood. After earning his
doctorate, Zenger signed on as the recruiting coordinator
for the brand-new NCAA Division I football program at the
University of South Florida in 1996. A year later, he joined
the University of Wyoming football staff as recruiting
coordinator and within two years rose to assistant head coach,
ach a position he still considers one of the crowning
achievements of his career.
Zenger stayed at Wyoming through the 2000 season before returning to Kansas State. He spent a year in the
KSU College of Business, raising more than $2 million and restructuring its development program with research
and planning. He rejoined KSU Athletics in 2001 as assistant athletics director for major gifts, helping KSU initiate
important development strategies. In 2002, he was appointed KSU’s associate athletics director for development, a
position he held until 2005, when he was named Athletics Director at Illinois State.
A published author and researcher, Zenger served for three years on the NCAA Division I Committee on
Student-Athlete Reinstatement. He also served on two NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision (FCS)
Division committees, and was a member of the Executive Committee of NACDA’s Division I FCS Athletic Directors
Association.
He is also a member of many professional and university organizations, including the National Association
of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA), the Association for the Study of Higher Education and the American
Football Coaches Association.
Zenger is married to the former Pam McAnarney. The couple have three children: Luke (14), Abby (12) and
Jake (10).

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Debbie Van Saun joined the Kansas Athletics staff as an Associate
Athletics Director and Senior Women’s Administrator in August 2007.
At Kansas, Van Saun directly supervises selected sports and provides
administrative guidance to those coaches and their programs. Those selected sports
include softball, rowing, men’s golf, women’s golf and swimming and diving. She works
closely with student-athletes regarding financial aid, housing, summer school, fifthyear aid and other pertinent areas. It is Van Saun’s job to monitor Kansas Athletics’
efforts to comply Title IX and NCAA gender equity principles, as well as monitor
Debbie Van Saun
NCAA governance issues and coordinate the University’s position on new NCAA
Senior Woman
legislation. She also prepares financial aid budget reports for the Athletics Director.
Administrator
Van Saun came to KU from the City of Lawrence, where she served in numerous
positions: assistant city manager, assistant utilities director, assistant finance director and
collections supervisor. Her roles with the city dated back to 1979 and concluded when she came to KU last year.
Van Saun’s husband, Paul, played varsity football for KU in the 1970’s and now owns Van Saun
Decorating Service in Lawrence. Together they have two adult children, Kristen Van Saun Toner, a 2006 graduate
of KU Law School, an attorney with Lathrop & Gage, L.C., and Joseph, a CPA with Deloitte & Touche LLP.

Strategic and Instructional
Tutoring Programs (STP)
• STP schedules more than 900 hours of
tutoring each week for more than 250 studentathletes.
• STP has 75 tutors who work with all studentathletes who request tutoring assistance.
• Tutoring is available to any student-athlete,
regardless of scholarship status or sport.
• Many of the tutors working within STP are
instructors or teaching assistants at KU. Some
are undergraduate students who have excelled
in their respective subject areas.
• Research studies have found the Strategic
Tutoring Program to be an effective program
for under-prepared student-athletes and
highly skilled students alike.
• Student-athletes report a high level of
satisfaction with the STP.
• STP programs offer individualized tutoring
as well as small study groups.

Rowing has had at least a 3.0 team GPA for every semester since fall 2002.
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High School: A
Academic
cade
honor roll throughout high school.
Personal: Daughter of Matthew and Barb Able... Has three siblings: Christopher, Allison and Travis... Her sister, Allison, was also on the KU
rowing team... Plans to major in human biology.

Danielle Adam
5’9”
Olathe, Kan.
Olathe Northwest HS

Jr.

2009-10 (Freshman):
(Freshman
n): Member of the Second Varsity Eight throughout the spring
season, which defeated Kansas State in the Kansas Cup and finished second at the Big 12
Championship.
High School: Three-year letterwinner in band and two-year letterwinner in soccer... On
the presidential honor roll all four years... Set weightlifting records in power clean, squat
and bench... Rowed for the Kansas Crew club team coached by Jeremy Struemph... Won
numerous Novice Four events as part of Kansas Crew, including the Sunflower State
Rowing Championship... Took third place at the American Collegiate Rowing Association
National Club Regatta in the First Novice Four.
Personal: Daughter of Jim and Diane Adam... Has three siblings, Austin, Riley and Trevor...
Great-grandfather, Paul James Adam, and great uncle, Jim Mills, both played football at
KU... Brother, Austin, currently plays football for South Dakota School of Mines... Is a
fifth-generation Jayhawk... Majoring in exercise science.

A
Ashleigh
Allam
Lawrence, Kan.
L
Free State HS
F

5’9”

Jr.

2009-10 (Freshman):
(Fresh
hman
n): Member of the First Novice Eight throughout the spring season...
Defeated
f
d Kansas
as State in the Kansas Cup... Won the C Final at the South-Central Regionals...
Member of the First Novice Four and First Novice Eight at the Frostbite Regatta.
High School: Four-year letterwinner in basketball and a three-year letterwinner in
volleyball... Volleyball team won Sunflower League Championship in 2009.
Personal: Daughter of Eric Allam and Nicole Muchmore... Majoring in journalism.

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J
Julia
Alvey
5’9”
San Ramon, Calif.
S
California HS
C

Fr.

High School: Letter
Lettered in lacrosse two years and one year in water polo.
Personal: Daughter of Robert Alvey and Tammy Crow... Has three siblings: Andy, Dayna and Ashlee... Plans to major in pre-business.

K
Kellyn
Angell
5’6”
So.
H
Hendersonville, Tenn.
The Harpeth Hall School
T
High School: Lett
Lettered in swimming all four years of high school… Named Most Valuable Player and Most Valuable Rookie during high
school…
h l A 16-time All-American in swimming.
Personal: Daughter of Chris and Robin Angell… Has one sister, Maddie… Plans to major in biochemistry.

N
Nicole
Balmaceda 5’2” Fr.
Lenexa, Kan.
L
Notre Dame de Sion HS
N
High School: Member of the cross country and basketball
sketball teams throughout
throu
high school… Member of the National Honor Society, Junior
Ladies of Charity and Quill and Scroll… Earned the
h President’s
d ’ Volunteer Service Award and the McCallum Award for Excellence in
Biological Sciences.
Personal: Daughter of Joaquina Baranda and Daniel Balmaceda… Has three siblings: Chris, Alex and Julia… Her brothers, Chris and Alex,
also attend KU… Plans to major in microbiology.

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L
Laura Benz
5’8”
O
Olathe, Kan.
O
Olathe East HS

Fr.

High School: Memb
Member of the dance team from 2008-11… Competed in gymnastics for two years… Member of the President’s Honor Roll all
four years of high school… Earned the Gold and Silver Presidential Service Award her junior and senior year, respectively.
Personal: Daughter of John and Goldie Benz… Has three brothers: Eric, Philip and Douglas… Her mother also attended KU… Plans to
major in nursing.

Molly Boehner 5’10”
M
Shawnee Mission, Kan.
S
Bishop Miege HS
B

Sr.

2010-11 (Junior):
(Jun
nior): Member of the Second Varsity Eight during the spring season... Second
Varsity Eightt team finished third in the petite final of the Knecht Cup... Member of the
Championship Eight B in the Head of the Hooch competition during the fall season...
2009-10 (Sophomore): Member of the Second Varsity Four, which defeated both Texas
and Kansas State in their respective duels... Member of the Collegiate Eight C boat at the
Boot of the Oklahoma that qualified for the stampede petite final... Member of the Varsity
Eight B at Frostbite Regatta and Head of the Hooch.
2008-09 (Freshman): Member of the Second Novice Eight.
High School: Lettered four years in cheerleading and was a three-year letterwinner in soccer... Member of National Honor Society... First
Honor Roll 2005-08... Eastern Kansas League Scholar 2005-08.
Personal: Daughter of Ernie and Norma Boehner... Uncle Bruce Sloan played basketball at KU... Sister, Betsy, played soccer at Avila... Majoring
in community health.

N
Natalie Boerio 5’5”
Fr.
P
Pittsburgh, Penn.
W
Western Reserve Academy
High School: Letter
Lettered four year in track & field, two years in volleyball and one year in basketball… Member of the honor roll throughout
high school… Was co-captain of the track team during her senior year… Earned the Carl Basnett Award and Coaches Award her senior year
in track & field.
Personal: Daughter of Mary Grace and Anthony Boerio… Has one brother, Nick, who ran cross country and track at East Carolina
University… Plans to major in exercise science/pre-physical therapy.

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Lindsey Bricklemyer 5’4” Sr.
Olathe, Kan.
Olathe South HS
2010-11 (Junior): Coxswain of the First Varsity Four the entire spring season... Qualified for the
grand final in the Knecht Cup...Defeated Kansas State in the Kansas Cup in the Varsity Four A...
Varsity Four qualified for the grand final in the Conference USA Championship.
2009-10 (Sophomore): Coxswain of the First Varsity Four the entire spring season... Defeated Kansas State in the Kansas Cup... Finished
second at the Big 12 Championship... Took second place in the C final of the South-Central Regionals... Coxswain of Varsity Eight boats at the
Boot of the Oklahoma and the Frostbite Regatta.
2008-09 (Freshman): Coxswain of the Second Novice Eight at the Kansas Cup and the Big 12 Championship... Coxswain of the First Novice
Eight at the South-Central Regional Regatta and at Minnesota.
High School: Lettered three years in diving and two years in tennis... Named Most Valuable Player on her tennis team in 2007... Member of
the National Honor Society, principal’s honor roll and student council.
Personal: Daughter of John and Carol Bricklemyer... Competed in English Equestrian competitions in the Kansas City area for six years...
Biomedical engineering major.

E
Erin
Brogan
6’2”
Fr.
Haddonfield, N.J.
H
Haddonfield Memorial HS
H
High School: Lettered three years in basketball and
d tennis… Named
Nam
med to
o the South Jersey All-Star Team in basketball during her senior year.
Personal: Daughter of Michael and Regina Brogan…Has five siblings:
l
C
Colleen,
ll
Danny, Ryan, Kelly
ll and
d Alana…
Al
Sister,
S
C
Colleen,
ll
was on the
h
equestrian team and ran cross country for Brown University… Plans to major in journalism.

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K
Kristen Byrd
F
Franklin, Tenn.
E
Easton Area HS

5’8”

Fr.

High School: Memb
Member of the track & field team for three years.
Personal: Daughter of Erric and Valerie Byrd… Has three siblings: Jerval Watson, Jenelle Byrd and Eric Byrd, Jr… Plans to major in prebusiness and marketing.

Meghan Cahill
M
O
Ottawa, Kan.
Ottawa HS
O

6’2”

So.

Junior College: Played volleyball for two years at Cowley Countyy Community
Co
College… During the 2010 season her team finished third at
the KJCAA Volleyball Nationals… Placed second at the 2009 KJCAA Volleyball Nationals.
High School: Lettered three years in volleyball and two years in soccer.
Personal: Daughter of Glen and Christine Cahill… Has one brother, Sean… Her mother, aunt and uncle all attended KU… Plans to major
in environmental studies and Spanish.

Olivia Catloth
5’7”
Baldwin City, Kan.
Baldwin City HS

Jr.

2010-11 (Sophomore): Coxswain
swain of the First Varsity Eight in the Sunflower Showdown… Coxswain
of the Second Varsity Four during the Knecht Cup and Big 12 Championship… Placed second in the
Second Varsity Four of the K
Knecht
ht C
Cup.
2009-10 (Freshman): Coxswain of the First Novice Eight and First Novice Four at the Frostbite Regatta....
Coxswain of the First Novice Eight for the spring season... Defeated Kansas State in the Kansas Cup...
Won the C Final at the South-Central Regionals.
High School: Four-year letterwinner in volleyball and track and field... On the honor roll all four years.
Personal: Daughter of Rob Catloth and Deb Johnson... Has two siblings, Grant and Van... Uncle,
Doug Catloth, played football at Kansas State... Brother, Grant, ran cross country at Johnson County
Community College... Majoring in exercise science.

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Caty Clements
Lamar, Mo.
Lamar HS

5’7”

So.

2010-11 (Freshman):
hman): Coxswain of the First Novice Eight versus Kansas State and in the Big 112 and Conference USA Championships…
Coxswain of the
he Third Novice Eight in the duel versus Texas… Took second place in the grand final
n of the Conference USA Championship…
Placed second iin the
h Bi
Big 12 Championship…
Ch
i hi
D
Defeated
f
d Kansas
K
State
S
in
i the
h Kansas
K
C
Cup.
High School: Lettered in volleyball three years and one year in track... All-District First Team in volleyball her senior year... Valedictorian...
Member of National Honor Society.
Personal: Daughter of Jeff and Amy Clements... Has one sibling, Caleb... Undecided major.

Caity Decker
5’8”
Pittsburg, Kan.
St. Mary’s Colgan HS

So.

2010-11 (Freshman):
hman): Member of the First Novice Eight during the Texas duel… Member of the
th Second
Novice Eight that
hat took first place at the Knecht Cup… Finished second at the Big 12 Championsh
Championship.
High School: Lettered four years in cheerleading, three years in volleyball and two years each in track and
softball... State Champion in power tumbling on double-mini for eight-consecutive years (2002-2009)...
Trampoline State Champion in 2009... All-American cheerleader for three-consecutive years... Softball
team won 2-1A State Championship in 2010... Volleyball team won sub-state and advanced to 2-1A State
Tournament in 2007 and 2008... Team MVP in volleyball her senior year... Set school record for high jump.
Personal: Daughter of Kevin and Tiffany Decker... Has one sibling, Jordan, who is currently attending KU...
Grandfather, Fred Decker, played football at the University of Wyoming... Plans to major in sports science.

K
Kristin
Engbroten 5’6”
P
Paola, Kan.
Paola HS
P

Fr.

High School: Letter
Lettered in volleyball, basketball and softball during her junior and senior seasons… Two-time all-league first baseman…
Member
M
b off the
h N
National Honor Society and honor roll.
Personal: Daughter of Sue and Tim Engbroten… Major is undecided.

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Katy Evans
Aspen, Colo.
Aspen HS

5’10”

Jr.

2010-11 (Sophomore):
re): Member of the Second Varsity Eight during the spring season… Member
of the Second Varsity
ty Eight versus Kansas State in the Sunflower Showdown… Member of the
Championship Four A and
d Ch
Championship
i hi Ei
Eight
h B at the
h H
Head
d off the
h H
Hooch.
h
2009-10 (Freshman): Won the Most Improved Newcomer Award... Member of the First Novice
Eight throughout the spring... Defeated Kansas State in the Kansas Cup... Won the C Final at
the South-Central Regionals.
High School: Lettered in volleyball for four years, basketball for three years, soccer for two
years and golf for one year... Set school volleyball records for most blocks in a match, most
aces in a match and most aces in a season... All-Academic Honorable Mention in volleyball
and basketball her senior year... Member of National Honor Society... On honor roll all eight
semesters.
Personal: Daughter of Kendall and Judy Evans... Has three siblings, Jamie, Jill and Scott...
Brother, Scott, played football at Northern Oklahoma University... Majoring in Spanish.

C
Chloe
Fischgrund 4’11” Fr.
L
Leawood, Kan.
Shawnee Mission East HS
S
High School: Award
Awarded the Paige Winters Inspirational Award & Scholarship… Earned the Gold Service Award.
Personal: Daughter of Robert and Donna Fischgrund… Has one sister, Avery, who also attends KU… Plans to major in accounting and
business administration.

Kelsie Fiss
5’11”
Kansas City, Kan.
St. Teresa’s Academy

So.

2010-11 (Freshman):
hman): Member of the First and Second Novice Eight during the spring season…
seaso
Member of thee Second Novice Eight that finished second at the Big 12 Championship.
High School: Lettered two years in volleyball and basketball and one year in track... Named to AllState Academic Team in 2008 in volleyball...Member of the National Honor Society.
Personal: Daughter of Bob and Kim Fiss... Has three siblings, Allie, Barret and Jacob... Grandfather,
Galen Fiss, played football at KU and professionally for the Cleveland Browns... Father, Bob, played
football at KU... Sister, Allie, is currently attending KU.

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Caitlin Flanagan 5’2” Fr.
C
Matteson, Ill.
M
Homewood-Flossmoore HS
H
High School: Member of the cross country team
am in high scho
school…
ool… Member of the National Honor Society of High School Scholars.
Personal: Daughter of Matt and Judy Ireland… Has one sibling, Erin… Plans to major in political science.

A
Angie
Flores Rodriguez 5’9”
Fr.
Monterrey,
M
Mexico
IInstituto Cientifico y Literario
High School: M
Member
emb of the Santiago Rowing Club… Took first place in the double at the National Junior Olympic Games in 2011… Won the
singles race at the Mexican Rowing Nationals in 2010… Finished third in the single and quad at the CanAmMex in 2010… Finished third in
the quad at the US Rowing Club Nationals.
Personal: Daughter of Jose Juan Flores Vela and Maria del Pilar Rodriguez Perez… Has one sibling, Juan Jose Flores Rodriguez… Major is
undecided.

L
Lexa
Fowlkes 5’11”
Fr.
Lee’s Summit, Mo.
L
St. Teresa’s Academy
S
High School: Lettered in volleyball, soccer and spirit
rit club throughout
through
hout high school... Member of the honor roll.
Personal: Daughter of Brian and Jeanne Fowlkes... Has two siblings: Ashley and Lauren... Sister, Lauren played soccer at Notre Dame and
currently plays professionally for the Philadelphia Independence... Plans to major in elementary education.

Eileen Gallagher 5’5”
Jr.
Overland Park, Kan.
Shawnee Mission East HS
homore): Member of the Second Varsity Eight for the whole spring season.
2010-11 (Sophomore):
h
) M
b off th
i Ei
ht th
ti year... D
f t d Kansas
K
2009-10 (Freshman):
Member
the Fi
Firstt N
Novice
Eight
the entire
Defeated
State in the Kansas Cup... Won the C Final at the South-Central Regionals.
High School: Lettered in wrestling for three years as a team manager.
Personal: Daughter of Dick and Maureen Gallagher... Has two siblings, Erin and Brian...
Pre-physical therapy major.

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Allie Griffin 5’8”
A
Fr.
W
Wichita, Kan.
T
The Independent School
High School: Lettered in swimming all four years…
… Named a Kansas
Kansa Athletic Scholar… During her junior year she placed first in the 400
freestyle Relay, second in the 200 medley relay, fifth in the 500 freestyle and sixth in the 200 freestyle… During her senior year she placed
second in the 400 freestyle relay and second in the 200 medley relay… Helped lead her team to a second-place finish overall during her junior
and senior year.
Personal: Daughter of Bruce and Helen Griffin… Has three siblings: Cole, Blaire and Thomas… Plans to major in international studies or
elementary education.

J
Jenni
Hartzler
Kearney, Mo.
K
Kearney HS
K

5’11”

Fr.

High School: Three
ree-time team captain of the basketball team and two-time captain of the volleyball team… Named All-Northland, allconference,
f
all-district
ll d
and academic all-state in basketball during her four years… Named all-conference, all-district and academic all-state
in volleyball through her four years… Class valedictorian and member of the Principal’s Honor Roll.
Personal: Daughter of Randy and Stephanie Hartzler… Has three siblings: Shane, Morgan and Jessica… Father, Randy, played football for the
University of Colorado… Plans to major in microbiology.

Katie Hayes
5’10”
Pittsburg, Kan.
St. Mary’s Colgan HS

So.

2010-11 (Freshman):
hman): Member of the First Novice Eight for the Kansas Cup, Big 12 and Conferenc
Conference USA Championships… A member of the
Second Novicee Eight at the Knecht Cup… First place finish at the Knecht Cup… Defeated Kansas
Kan State in the Kansas Cup… Took second
place at the Big 12 Championship
Ch
i hi iin th
the Fi
Firstt N
Novice
i Ei
Eight.
ht
High School: Four-year letterwinner in softball and basketball, lettered three years in volleyball... Softball team won Kansas 2-1A State
Championship in 2010, placed third at State Championship in 2008 and 2009... Basketball and softball team each won sub-state and advanced
to State Tournament all four years, volleyball team won sub-state in 2008 and 2009... Named First Team All-Conference and Second Team AllState Pitcher in softball sophomore and junior seasons... All-State honorable mention in basketball and All-Conference in volleyball senior
year... Named to honor roll all four years.
Personal: Daughter of Tom and Denise Hayes... Has three siblings, Michael, Elizabeth and Josh... Father, Tom, played football at Truman State
University... Plans to major in mass communication.

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Carly Iverson
5’8”
So.
Lenexa, Kan.
Shawnee Mission Northwest HS
2010-11 (Freshman): Member of the Second Varsity Eight versus Kansas State... Bow for the Second
Novice Eight in the Sunflower Showdown... Member of the Third Novice Eight versus Texas.

A
Andrea
Joyce 5’11”
Tulsa, Okla.
T
Holland Hall HS
H

Fr.

High School: Lettered one year in basketball… Member
mber of the honor
hon
nor roll
ro for three years… Member of the club rowing team… Freshman year
finished first place as a novice at central districts… During
D i her
h sophomore
h
year finished second place as a novice at S.W.E.A.T. … First place
at central districts during her sophomore year.
Personal: Daughter of Isla and John Joyce… Has one brother, Jake… Plans to major in English with a major in psychology.

Olivia Kinet
6’0”
Jr.
London, England
The American School in London
2010-11 (Sophomore):
homore): Member of the First Varsity Eight for the entire spring season.
2009-10 (Freshman):
h
) W
Won th
the O
Outstanding
t t di N
Newcomer A
Award...
d M
Member
b off th
the Fi
Firstt N
Novice
i Ei
Eight
ht
throughout the spring... Defeated Kansas State in the Kansas Cup... Won the C Final at the South-Central
Regionals.
High School: Started all four years in basketball and competed in field hockey.
Personal: Daughter of Lawrence and Marsha Kinet... Has five siblings, Jennifer, Brian, Victoria, Nathaniel
and Simon... Brother, Simon, played for the USA Under-19 Rugby Team... Majoring in education.

J
Jade
Lambkins
5’10”
Parsons, Kan.
P
Labette County HS
L

Fr.

High School: Lettered four years in basketball and
d volleyball… All-state
All-s
honorable mention in basketball during the 2009 season… Allconference in volleyball from 2007-09… Chosen to attend
d Foundation
d
for Teaching Economics and Leadership in Berkley, Calif.
Personal: Daughter of Melissa Perez and Gregory Lambkins… Has two siblings: Jordan Lambkins and Zachary Perez… Grandfather, Manuel
Perez attended KU… Plans to major in speech pathology.

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Sarah Lasini
S
Wildwood, Mo.
W
Lafayette HS
L

5’5”

Fr.

High School: Letter
Lettered in softball for two years.
Personal: Daughter of Dennis and Sue Lasini... Has one brother, Derek... Plans to major in sports management.

L
Lindsey
Leonard 5’8”
W
Wamego, Kan.
Wamego HS
W

Fr.

High School: Lettered in volleyball and basketball allll four years of high school and three years in track… All-state, all-league (NCKL) and KVA
All-Academic Team throughout her high school career… 2010 KVA
KV
VA All-Star
A
Team in volleyball… Lions Heart Award winner in volleyball…
All-league in basketball.
Personal: Daughter of Paula Cobb and Rick Patton… Has three sisters: Andrea, Ashley and Ashley… Her sister, Ashley, played volleyball at
Independence Community College and Nicholls State… Plans to major in business.

C
Claudijah
Lever
Milwaukee, Wis.
M
Messmer HS
M

5’9”

Fr.

High School: Member of the basketball, volleyball
lleyball and track
traack & field teams throughout high school.
Personal: Daughter of Letrica Shorter and Claude Lever... Has three siblings: Derrick, Tiffany and Jeffrey... Plans to major in pre-nursing.

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Amanda Lewis
5’10”
Silver Lake, Kan.
Silver Lake HS

So.

2010-11 (Freshman):
hman): Member of the Second Novice Eight at the Knecht Cup… Member of the Fi
First Novice Eight at the Kansas Cup, Big
12 Championship
hip and Conference USA Championship… Won the Knecht Cup in the Second No
Novice Eight… Defeated Kansas State in the
Kansas Cup as a member
b off th
the Fi
Firstt N
Novice
i Ei
Eight.
ht
High School: Lettered four years in basketball and three years in track... Holds her high school’s record for shot put and javelin... All-State in
basketball her junior and senior years... Team MVP in basketball her senior year... All-League in basketball and track for three years each...
Academic All-League for all four years... Named a Kansas Honor Scholar.
Personal: Daughter of Matt and Michelle Lewis... Has one sibling, Jess... Plans to major in exercise science.

Abbey Lozenski
Lansing, Kan.
Lansing HS

5’0”

So.

2010-11 (Freshman): Coxswain of the First Novice Eight against Texas… Coxswain of the Second Novice Eight at the Knecht Cup that took
first place at the Knecht Cup… Coxswain of the Second Novice Eight in the Kansas Cup and Big 12 Championship… Coxswain of the First
Novice Eight B in the Conference USA Championship.
High School: Lettered four years in basketball and soccer, three years in cross country and two years in cheerleading... State qualifier for
three years in cross country... All-American cheerleader... Basketball team won 5A Sub-state in 2009... Named a Kansas Governor’s Scholar,
a Board of Regents Scholar and a Kansas Honors Scholar.
Personal: Daughter of Lance and Jeanette Lozenski... Has three siblings, Justin, J.T. and Luke.

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M
Melanie
Luthi
5’10”
JJunction City, Kan.
JJunction City HS

Sr.

2010-11 (Junior):
Junior): Member
Memb
ber of the First Varsity Eight during the entire spring season.
2009-10 (Sophomore): Member of the First Varsity Eight for the entire season... Helped set school
record for 2000 meters at 6:26.2 at the South-Central Regional regatta.
2008-09 (Freshman): Member of the First Varsity Eight team.
High School: Lettered four years in basketball, three years in track and two years in volleyball...
School-record holder in javelin... Valedictorian.
Personal: Daughter of Loran and Judy Luthi... Engineering and business major.

K
Kate
Lygrisse
5’8”
Fr.
Wichita, Kan.
W
Classical School of Wichita
C
High School: Member of the cross country,
y, basketball and
an
nd volleyball
vo
teams throughout high school... Academic honor roll during all four
years in high school.
Personal: Daughter of Dan and Cindy Lygrisse... Has two brothers: Daniel and Mike... Her brother, Daniel, also attended KU... Plans to major
in biology.

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Katy MacCormack 5’2” Jr.
O’Fallon, Mo.
Fort Zumwalt West HS
2010-11 (Sophomore): Coxswain of the Second Varsity Four versus Texas… Coxswain of
the Varsity Four versus Kansas State in the Sunflower Showdown.
2009-10 (Freshman): Coxswain of the Second Varsity Four for the spring season... Won
duels against both Texas and Kansas State... Took second place in the petite final at the
South-Central Regionals.
High School: Four-year letterwinner in dance... Graduated summa cum laude.
Personal: Daughter of Michael and Jean MacCormack... Has two siblings, Kelley and Michelle... Majoring in chemical engineering.

Amber Malone
Norwood, Mo.
Norwood HS

5’10”

Jr.

2010-11 (Sophomore): Member of the Second Varsity Four for the entire spring season.
2009-10 (Freshman): Member of the Second Novice Eight for the Frostbite Regatta and
the entire spring.
High School: Lettered in basketball and softball for four years... All-Conference three
years in softball and two years in basketball... Hit 15 home runs with a .716 batting average
her senior season of softball... Member of National Honor Society... On the honor roll all
four years.
Personal: Daughter of Lee and Carla Malone... Has three siblings, Al, Max and Summer...
sports management major.

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Katie Mathis
4’10”
Manhattan, Kan.
Manhattan HS

So.

2010-11 (Freshman): Coxswain of the Second Novice Eight in the Sunflower Showdown and versus Texas… The only KU team to beat Texas
in the duel… Coxswain of the First Novice Eight at the Knecht Cup… Coxswain of the Second Varsity Eight B in the Kansas Cup.
High School: Member of the Manhattan Junior Crew club team.
Personal: Daughter of Jeff and LeAnn Mathis... Has three siblings, Megan, Erin and Molly... Plans to major in exercise science.

Ashlyn Midyett 5’8”
So.
Olathe, Kan.
Olathe Northwest HS
2010-11 (Sophomore): Member of the Second Varsity Four versus Texas, Kansas State and in the Big 12 Championship.
2009-10 (Freshman): Member of the Second Novice Eight for the entire season.
High School: Lettered three years in track, two years in volleyball and one year in cross country... Won her team’s sportsmanship
award in volleyball in 2008... Member of National Honor Society.
Personal: Daughter of Lance and Sonja Midyett... Has two siblings, Rachel and Mitchell... An exercise science major.

Jessica Miller
Kingman, Kan.
Kingman HS

5’7”

So.

2010-11 (Freshman): Member of the Second Novice Eight versus Texas, the only KU team to defeat Texas in the
duel… Finished the rest of the season as a member of the First Novice Eight… Defeated Kansas State in the Kansas
Cup.
High School: Three-year letterwinner in volleyball, basketball and softball... Lettered one year in track...
Valedictorian.
Personal: Daughter of Richard and Joyce Miller... Has two siblings, Jacob and Mike... Plans to major in pharmacy.

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Angela Mings
5’8”
Sr.
Overland Park, Kan.
Shawnee Mission Northwest HS
2010-11 (Junior): Member of the First Varsity Eight for the entire spring season… Finished the last two
regattas as the bow for the First Varsity Eight.
2009-10 (Sophomore): Member of the Second Varsity Eight and bow for the First Varsity Four at the
Boot of the Oklahoma... Bow for the Second Varsity Eight at the Frostbite Regatta, the Head of the Hooch
and the entire spring season... Defeated Kansas State in the Kansas Cup... Finished second at the Big 12
Championship.
2008-09 (Freshman): Member of the First Novice Eight.
High School: Lettered three years in track and two years in volleyball... Set school record in shuttle hurdle
relay... Qualified for state in the 100-meter hurdles, the 4x100 and 4X400.
Personal: Daughter of Marvin and Lori Mings... Majoring in physical therapy.

Cara Murray
5’10”
Lenexa, Kan.
Shawnee Mission West HS

So.

2010-11 (Freshman):
hman): Member of the Second Novice Eight throughout the spring season… Member of
the First Novice
ce Eight at the Knecht Cup… Defeated Texas in a head-to-head duel.
High School: Four-year letterwinner in cross country and track, lettered one year in bowling... Cross
country team placed third at 6A State Championships in 2009... Named a Kansas Honors Scholar...
Named a scholar athlete all four years
Personal: Daughter of Rick and Cheryl Murray... Mom, Cheryl, attended KU... Plans to major in prepharmacy.

Amanda Nelson
A
Shawnee, Kan.
S
Mill Valley HS
M

5’5”

Fr.

High School: M
Member
emb of the Topeka Swim Association for eight years... Attended the National Youth Leadership Forum on Medicine.
Personal: Daughter of Gary Nelson and Tammy Bangs... Has one sibling, Madison... Plans to major in nursing.

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Nicole Otey
N
5’11”
Fr.
Gardner, Kan.
G
G
Gardner-Edgerton HS
High School: Member of the basketball team in high school…
… Named
Na
a Kansas Honor Scholar and member of the National Honor Society…
Graduated in the top 10 percent of her graduating
i class.
l
Personal: Daughter of Tracy Otey and Kim Peterson… Has three siblings: Stephanie, Tessa and Matthew… Plans to major in pre-nursing/
community health.

L
Libby
Phillips
5’8”
Overland Park, Kan.
O
Olathe South HS
O

Fr.

High School: Lettered three years in volleyball... Named
amed All-Sunfl
flower
ower League Honorable Mention in volleyball.
Personal: Daughter of Jim and Cathy Phillips... Has two siblings: Caitlin and Eric... Her parents, sister and grandfather, Herman, all attended
KU... Plans to major in secondary education math.

L
Leah
Roy
5’10”
Kansas City, Mo.
K
Liberty HS
L

Fr.

High School: Lettered
Letter three years in basketball… Liberty Academic Award… Led her basketball team to a conference, district and sectional
championship
h
i hi d
during
i her junior year.
Personal: Daughter of Duane and Kelli Roy… Has one brother, Tanner… Plans to major in business.

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Elizabeth Scherer 5’9” So.
Wamego, Kan.
Wamego HS
2010-11 (Freshman): Member of the First Novice Eight for the entire spring season… Defeated Kansas State in the Kansas Cup… Took second
place at the Big 12 Championship… Second place in the grand final of the Conference USA Championship.
High School: Two-time state champion in powerlifting... Set 4A state records in squat, clean and total weight... Four-year letterwinner in
track and lettered two years in tennis... Named tennis team’s Most Improved Player in 2008... School’s valedictorian... Member of the National
Honor Society... Named a Kansas Honors Scholar and a Kansas Governor’s Scholar... All-State Academic Team Honorable Mention.
Personal: Daughter of Kathleen and Eugene Scherer... Has two siblings, Julie and Matthew... Plans to major in exercise science.

Kathryn Schoonover 5’8” Sr.
Athens, Texas
Athens HS
2010-11 (Junior): Member of the Second Varsity Eight for the entire spring season… Bow for the Championship Eight C at the Head of the
Hooch… Finished third in the petite final of the Knecht Cup… Bow for the Championship Eight B at the Head of the Oklahoma.
2009-10 (Sophomore): Bow for the First Varsity Four against Kansas State and at the South-Central Regionals... Bow for the Second Varsity
Four that defeated Texas... Defeated Kansas State in the Kansas Cup... Took second place in the C final of the South-Central Regionals...
Member of the Varsity Eight D boat at the Boot of the Oklahoma.
2008-09 (Freshman): Member of the Second Novice Eight against Texas and at the Kansas Cup... Competed in the First Novice Eight at the
SIRA’s, at Minnesota, at the Big 12 Championship and at the South/Central Regionals.
High School: Three-year letterwinner in volleyball and track... Also earned a letter in basketball... Two-year varsity volleyball captain... Named
First Team All-District Volleyball in 2007... Member of National Honor Society... Four-year Academic All-District Volleyball... Member of the
National Honor Roll in 2005... Named Who’s Who Among America’s High School Students in 2006... Mount Oread Scholar.
Personal: Daughter of Mickie Campbell and Bob Schoonover... An elementary education major.

K
Kaylee
Sextro
5’6”
Olathe, Kan.
O
JJohnson
o
County CC

So.

Johnson Count
County
ty CC:
CC Played soccer for Johnson County… Named all-conference honorable mention in 2010… Member of the 2009 National
Tournamentt runner-up team… In 2009, named second team all-conference.
T
Personal: Daughter of Ralph and Debbie Sextro… Has three brothers: Adam, Chad and Mark… Plans to major in environmental science.

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Hannah Silverthorne
H
Wichita, Kan.
W
Wichita North HS
W

5’8”

Fr.

High School: L
Lettered
etter all four years in swimming… Four-time first team all-city in swimming… Four-time state qualifier… Three-time
iindividual
di id l city
i league
l
titles… Member of the Wichita Swim Club… Valedictorian and member of National Honor Society, Spanish Honor
Society, Women in Health Care KUMC… Younger Generation Award… 4.0 GPA-honor roll all four years.
Personal: Daughter of Matt and Janet Silverthorne… Mother, Janet, graduated from KU… Has two siblings: Jenna and Alex… Her brother is
currently playing baseball at North Park University in Chicago… Major is undecided.

Hannah Singhal 5’8”
So.
Lenexa, Kan.
Shawnee Mission Northwest HS
2010-11 (Freshman): Member of the Second Novice Eight that defeated Texas… Finished the rest
of the season as a member of the First Novice Eight… Defeated Kansas State in the Kansas Cup…
Finished second in the Big 12 Championship.
High School: Four-year letterwinner in swimming... Qualified for state championships in
swimming all four years... Captain of swimming team senior year... Kansas Governor’s Scholar...
Four-year honor roll member.
Personal: Has two siblings, Tara and Krish... Brother, Krish, competed in swimming at Truman
State University... Sister, Tara, attended KU.

Emily Starr
5’10”
Grantville, Kan.
Jefferson West HS

Sr.

2010-11 (Junior): Member of the Second Novice Eight that defeated Texas… Member of the First
Novice Eight for the remainder of the spring season… Defeated Kansas State in the Kansas Cup…
Placed second at the Big 12 Championship.
High School: Lettered every year in basketball, including time at Cornerstone Family School in
Grantville, Kan.
Personal: Daughter of Gary and Julie Starr... Has two siblings, Michael and Aaron... Brother, Aaron,
played baseball at Cloud County Community College... Plans to major in exercise science.

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Paige Stephens
Colby, Kan.
Colby HS

5’10”

Sr.

2010-11 (Junior):
or): Member of the First Varsity Eight for the entire spring season… Bow
for the First Varsity Eight versus Kansas State in the Kansas Cup… Competed in the
Lightweight Single
Hooch.
ngle at the Head of the Hooch
2009-10 (Sophomore): Member of the First Varsity Eight in duels against Texas and
Kansas State... Member of the Second Varsity Eight at the Big 12 Championship and
South-Central Regionals... Took second place at the Big 12 Championship... Member of
the First Varsity Eight at the Head of the Hooch regatta... Member of the Varsity Eight B
at the Boot of the Oklahoma.
2008-09 (Freshman): Member of the First Novice Eight.
High School: Lettered four years in cross country, three years each in basketball and track
and one year in softball... Member of the 2007 State Championship team in basketball...
Named to the NWKL All-Academic Team for four years in cross country and basketball...
Named to the NWKL All-Academic team for three years in track... All-League First Team
in basketball.
Personal: Daughter of Curt and Jackie Stephens.

Brooke Thuston 5’9”
B
K
Kearney, Mo.
Kearney HS
K

Fr.

High School: Lettered four years in track and field and
nd two years in
n bask
basketball... Member of the honor roll throughout high school... American
record holder for the power press in powerlifting.
Personal: Daughter of Morris (Wendy) and Kelly Thuston... Has one brother, Brent... Undecided on major.

Emma Umbarger
Shawnee, Kan.
Mill Valley HS

5’7”

So.

2010-11 (Freshman): Bow for the First Novice Eight during the spring season… Member of the First Novice Eight that defeated Kansas State
in the Kansas Cup… Finished second at the Big 12 Championship.

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Cheyenne Verdoorn 6’1” Jr.
Lawrence, Kan.
Lawrence HS
2010-11 (Sophomore):
homore): Bow for the First Varsity Four throughout the entire spring season…
Defeated Kansas
as State in the Kansas Cup… Qualified for the Grand Final at the Knecht Cup… Bow
for the Varsity Four
F
against
i tK
Kansas St
State
t iin th
the SSunfl
flower Sh
Showdown.
d
2009-10 (Freshman): Bow for the First Novice Eight in duels against Kansas State and Texas as well
as the Big 12 Championship... Defeated Kansas State in the Kansas Cup.
High School: Four-year letterwinner in volleyball and basketball... Also a two-year letterwinner
in track... All-District First Team for two years in track and basketball and once in volleyball...
Basketball team won state championship in 2009... Qualified for state in track in 2007... Set school
records in basketball for most points, most three-pointers, most free throws and best free throw
percentage for a season... Set school volleyball records for kills and digs... Member of National
Honor Society... All-State Academic Team all four years.
Personal: Daughter of Mark and Tracy Verdoorn... Has one brother, Chase, who wrestled at the University of Michigan... Majoring in exercise
science.

Abbie Watson
A
6’1”
Oak Ridge, Tenn.
O
Oak Ridge HS
O

Fr.

High School: P
Placed
lace first at the Head of the Tennessee and Rocky Top Head Race in the Women’s Varsity Eight during her freshman year...
Took first place at the Chattanooga Headrace in the Women’s Varsity Eight during her sophomore year... During her junior year, she placed
first in the Women’s Varsity Eight and Varsity Four at the Row Tide Regatta... Placed first at the Head of the Tennessee Regatta in the Women’s
Varsity Eight during her senior year... Winner of the ORBIT Academy Achievement Award and the TSCPA Award.

Lindsey Miles
L
Kansas Rower 2004-2007
K
Halstead, Kan.
H
Lindsey Miles is one of the more decorated rowers
rooowers
wer to don a Kansas rowing uniform. Miles rowed from 2004-07
2004-0
as a walk-on and is now working as a clinical nurse at the University of Kansas Medical Center
Center. During her junior year,
yea
Miles was named to the 2006 CoSIDA Academic All-District Seven team. She was named to the Dean’s List, the Athletics
Director’s Honor Roll and the Big 12 Comissioner’s Honor Roll every semester of her collegiate career and maintained
a 4.0 GPA each semester. Miles was also recognized as a KU Woman of Distinction. She earned the Captain Award,
Oarswoman of the Year Award, the Senior Oarswoman Award and “Class of 2000” Team Academic Award following her
final year with the program. Throughout her career, she helped the First Varsity Eight defeat Kansas State in the Kansas
Cup and also claimed victories against Drake and Tulsa. She was named an ESPN Region VII All-American following
her junior season. In 2005, her crew nabbed second in the Open Four at the Head of the Iowa and took second in the
Open Eight at the Head of the Hooch. She began her career at Kansas as a member of the First Novice Eight crew that
earned first-place finishes at the South-Central Regionals and at the Knecht Cup. Additionally, Miles was named the
Kansas Rowing Newcomer of the Year during her freshman year.
How long have you been working at KU Med?
“About two years into nursing school I started
working there as a nurse aid. I worked on the
cancer unit and that’s where I ended up getting
hired. So, I’ve been on the cancer unit for two
and a half years now.”
How did you hear about the rowing program?
“I saw a flyer in my dorm room, which was Oliver
at the time, and I was just like most freshmen
students trying to get involved in anything and
everything. I tried a few club teams, like club
volleyball, but I didn’t find them competitive
enough. Then I tried getting into the sororities
but I didn’t feel like I fit in there either. I kept
looking and that’s when I saw the flyer. It talked
about being a part of a team and creating
friendships. I thought, ‘you know it probably
isn’t going to work out, but I might as well try
it.’ I went to the informational meeting and just
stuck with it.”

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How did being a part of the rowing program benefit you?
“I learned a ton from the sport itself. You have to work together and learn how to handle stress and I think having the
added time requirement of practices and traveling taught me to have really good time management. I have some of my
closest friends that were on the team. I have a lot of fond memories and I thought it was a great experience. It definitely
helped get me through school and I feel like it benefited me in multiple ways.”

“I wanted to keep rowing
and working toward
a community health
degree. Right after I left
the KU campus, I went
straight to nursing
school in Kansas City.”

What is your best memory as a Jayhawk rower?
“One of them would be during my senior year when we were
competing in the Kansas Cup, and it was a home race. The whole
race was neck-and-neck and when we got to the last 500 meters,
we knew we weren’t going to lose to Kansas State. It was like
we shifted into another gear because we passed them. Feeling
everyone in the boat pulling together was just an amazing
experience. Just being a part of that was an incredible feeling. I
would say that would be my fondest memory in a competition.
I also have these amazing memories of skits we used to do. My
freshman year we came up with this song and dance of being
a novice rower and we put it to the same tune as a Madonna
song. Memories like that with the team come to mind as well.”

Do you get a chance to keep up with the program?
“I have not as well as I would like. Unfortunately, with my job I work
every third weekend so that keeps me from going to some of the
regattas. I have seen a few that were at Wyandotte County Lake. I
went to one of the alumni rowing events that they have had. I also
want to see the boathouse that I never got to experience, which I
think is great because they have all these utilities at their fingertips. I
think also allowing the club rowing teams to utilize it gives the sport a
little bit more awareness because there are so many people who don’t
know about the sport.”
Do you get a chance to keep up with any former teammates or
coaches?
“My best friend and teammate is actually still my roommate. There
are a few people who were on the team that live in Kansas City and I
also keep in touch with them.”

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Sarah (Smith) Myers rowed for the University
of Kansas for two years after playing volleyball at
Sarah Myers
Hutchinson Community College. After her eligibility
Kansas Rower 2003-2004
ended following the 2004 season, Myers joined the
staff as an intern to fulfill a requirement for the
sports management program at KU. After completing
her internship, Myers remained on the staff as an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator until January of 2007
when she returned to Hutchinson Community College to become an assistant volleyball coach. Myers took over the
program and is currently in her second season as the head volleyball coach for the Dragons.
Myers says she did not even know what rowing was when she came to the University of Kansas and certainly
never thought she would be involved with the team for five years.
“I came to KU just to go to school,” said Myers. “My first year on campus I wasn’t involved with rowing. I was
just a student. The following year the rowing team approached my roommate during on-campus recruiting about
possibly joining the team. She came home, said she was going to go to the meeting and asked if I would be interested
in going with her. I didn’t know anything about rowing when I initially came to KU and had no intention of joining
the team. I just learned about it from the on-campus recruiting.”
Myers says her favorite memory as a rower came during her first year on the team when they went to the Big
12 Invitational.
“My favorite memory from the rowing team is when our Novice Eight boat beat Texas in the Big 12 finals,”
said Myers. “They had beaten us earlier in the spring. Then we came back at the Big 12 Invitational and beat them so
that was great.”
Upon joining the staff, Myers found many aspects of coaching that she liked. She had always envisioned
herself in the coaching profession.
“I knew that I wanted to get involved with coaching somehow. When I came to KU, I was a speech pathology
major. That first year when I just was a student, not having some sort of organized athletics in my life affected me in
a lot of ways. That’s why I got back into sports, and I knew that I had to have some form of athletics in my life.”
“While I was on the rowing staff, I worked with the novice program and helped Jen,” Myers continued. “It
was a lot of fun to share the experience I had. Being somebody that didn’t really know anything about the sport and
learning so much in the years that I participated, it was great being able to pass that knowledge on to other young
ladies who were in the same situation. I think rowing is a sport where even if you don’t have any past experience, if
you really put yourself into it you can pick it up and be successful at it. It was great to see the novices pick up on it
and watch the growth from the first day you put them in the water to the end of the season.”
While Myers admits that her true passion has always been volleyball, Myers says that her rowing experience
was very rewarding.
“Rowing is the hardest sport I have ever done, but it’s the most gratifying sport that I’ve ever done. It really
shows you how hard you can really work at something. It’s the most team-oriented sport I’ve ever participated in.
When you’re on the water, everybody has to work together. You can’t take a break or lose mental focus because it
really throws off the boat and everybody suffers.”
Myers also says she stays in touch with some of her former teammates.
“They are some of my best friends. It becomes harder as we’ve all moved on into our careers, but we definitely
keep in touch. Alumni weekends help a lot. You always try to come back to see where everybody is and what they’re
doing. I have a bunch of great memories. I’m really glad that I did it. It was a great way for me to shrink down the
university and become involved in something.”

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Each year, the Kansas rowing coaches honor one or more of their rowers with the Oarswoman of
the Year Award as well as the Outstanding Coxswain of the Season with the Nikia Rosenberger
Outstanding Coxswain Award. Each recipient has her picture permanently displayed in the boathouse.

The University of Kansas
• Enrollment: 29,462
• International enrollment: Over 1500 students from 110 countries
• KU has more than 40 nationally ranked academic programs, 28 of which are ranked among the
nation’s top 30 public schools. Two programs rank number one in the nation: special education
and city management/urban policy.
• KU offers nearly 200 fields of study in 13 schools, from architecture, music and engineering to
medicine, social welfare and law.
• KU’s popular Four-Year Tuition Compact freezes tuition rates for four years for first-time
freshmen. The Jayhawk Generations Scholarship offers a 12 to 20 percent discount on out-ofstate tuition for qualifying children of KU alumni who live outside Kansas.
• Counselors from US News’ “best high schools” ranked KU 12th in the nation, based on a
survey of academic reputation.
• The William Allen White School of Journalism & Mass Communication won the Intercollegiate
Writing Competition, also known as the “College Pulitzers,” for three stragiht years from 2007
to 2009.
• The KU Debate team won the national championship in 2009, its fifth national title.
• KU’s School of Pharmacy ranks third in the nation for NIH research funding and fifth in
nation in exam pass rates.
• KU’s Confucius Institute is ranked among top four in nation, top 20 in world.
• KU’s law school ranks 10th in nation for hands-on educational opportunities.
The University of Kansas was founded in 1865.
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â&#x20AC;&#x153;I llove KU
KU. The campus is
i
gorgeous, especially in the
fall and spring. You also
feel a great connection to
the university when you
see other Jayhawks outside
of Lawrence because being
a Jayhawk is so unique. KU
is the only university where
you can experience that.â&#x20AC;?
- Junior Olivia Catloth
Two of the five most powerful women in the world according to Forbes Magazine are KU graduates.
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THE ROCK CHALK CHANT
The Rock Chalk Chant has been the battle cry of KU fans for more than 90 years. This strange, traditional chant, which is
among the most famous of all college cheers, was started by E.H.S. Bailey, a professor of chemistry. Bailey wanted a cheer for his
Science Club. Returning from a convention in Wichita, Bailey and some associates patterned a yell after the rhythmic cadence of
their train rolling along the tracks. On May 21, 1886, Bailey submitted the cheer to his club.
Before the University adopted the cheer in 1897, it consisted of “Rah, Rah, Jayhawk, KU” being repeated three times. An
English professor soon suggested that “Rock Chalk” be substituted for “Rah, Rah” because it rhymed with Jayhawk. “Rock Chalk”
was also symbolic of the chalky limestone formations found on Mount Oread. Teddy Roosevelt once said the Rock Chalk chant
was the best he had ever heard.
THE FIGHT SONG
George “Dumpy” Bowles, a student with the class of 1912, longed to make a great
contribution to the KU spirit, but wasn’t athletic enough to do historic deeds on the athletic field.
He turned to music and produced some outstanding student musical shows.
A song in one of these shows was “I’m a Jayhawk.” Written in 1912, it was dormant
until 1920 when a growth in school spirit brought out “I’m a Jayhawk” once more. The song
contributed to the raising of funds to build both the KU football stadium and student union as
World War I memorials. The 1926 glee club made it known nationally.
During homecoming week in 2010, the KU Alumni Association held a public contest to
reword portions of the song because of the impending departure of Nebraska and Colorado from
the Big 12 Conference. Matt Schoenfield of Countryside, Kan., won the contest. The fight song
now mentions all 10 of the current Big 12 schools in its lyrics.
CAMPANILE HILL
Campanile Hill forms the picturesque backdrop for Memorial Stadium. On a sunny
fall Saturday, the “Hill” is transformed into a congregating place for watching Jayhawk football,
sunning and barbequing. Potter Lake, just to the southeast of Memorial Stadium and at the
bottom of Campanile Hill, adds to the beauty of the Kansas campus.
On Commencement Day, KU Grads make the walk down Campanile Hill in a
procession
line before entering Memorial Stadium
pro
for graduation ceremonies.
WAVING
THE WHEAT
WA
Since the early days of KU sports, it has been a
ritual
ritu of Jayhawk fans to “wave the wheat” following every Kansas scoring drive. The
ritual
ritu consists of fans waving their arms in the air, an activity which, when done by a
large
lar crowd, resembles a breezy Kansas wheat field.
THE
TH NICKNAME
During the Civil War a regiment raised by Kansas Governor Charles Robinson
called
itself the “Independent Mounted Jayhawks” (later officially the First Kansas
cal
Calvary
and then the Seventh Kansas Regiment). By the end of the Civil War the
Ca
word
wo Jayhawk was associated with the spirit of camaraderie and the courageous
fighting
qualities that characterized efforts to keep Kansas a free state.
g
By 1886, the University of Kansas had adopted the mythical bird as part of the
KU yell. When the university’s football team first took the field in 1890, it seemed
only
on natural that they should be called Jayhawkers. Few colleges and universities
have
hav such a meaningful symbol, one so deeply associated with the struggles of the
ha
people
who founded them.
pe
pe

The
T
he C
Campanile
ampanile w
was
as b
built
uilt tto honor all KU students who died in World War II.
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THE SCHOOL COLORS
The University of Kansas colors, crimson and blue, used since the early 1890s, are not the colors originally adopted by
the university Board of Regents in the 1860s. The Regents had decided to adopt the Michigan colors, maize and sky blue.
Maize and blue were used at early oratorical meets, and they may have been used when Kansas competed in rowing in
the middle 1880s. However, when football came upon the scene in 1890, the student backers wanted to use Harvard crimson
as th
the athletic color in honor of Col. John J. McCook,
man who had given money to KU for
a Harvard
Ha
an aathletic field. The field ran east and west in the
proximity of where
the north bowl of Memorial
prox
S t a d i u m
currently
sitss
curr
on the Kansass
campus.
Untill
cam
that time, Kansass
football
games
foot
were
wer played at
Central
Park on
Cen
Massachusetts
Ma
Street
in
Stre
downtown
Lawrence.
Law
Some
Som Yale men
The rooters rallied forth
were on the faculty, and they demanded the Yale blue be included. The
to allow crimson and blue on their team. No one fought to retain the original colors, and the
vivid deeper tone crimson and blue became generally used. Finally, in May 1896, the KU
Athletic Board adopted crimson and blue as the official team colors for the university.

THE ALMA MATER
In 1891, professor George Barlow Penny
searched for a school song for the Glee and
Mandolin Club to sing on its tour through Kansas
to Denver and back. No one responded with
an original song in answer to his appeals. Just
before departure, he thought of the Cornell song
“Far Above Cayuga’s Waters.” Hastily changing
a few words, he gave it to the glee club men to
sing on the trip. He did not expect the song to
be used after their return, but “Crimson and the
Blue” still goes on. The music is not Cornell’s
but an old English folk tune, “Annie Lisle.”

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About Lawrence
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Population: 81,604
Annual Average High Temperature: 67 degrees
Annual Average Low Temperature: 45 degrees
Conveniently located on I-70, 35 miles west of Kansas City and 25 miles east of Topeka (state
capital). Kansas Highway 10 connects Lawrence to the south Kansas City metroplex.
Lawrence was founded in 1854 by the New England Emigrant Aid Society in an effort to keep
the territory free from slavery. It is said to be one of the few cities in the United States founded
strictly for political reasons.
The American Institute for Economic Research ranked Lawrence as the ninth best college town
in the United States for 2010.
“Psychology Today” calls Lawrence one of the 25 least-stressful cities in which to live.
“The Sporting News” recently selected Lawrence as a Top 50 sports towns in North America.
In 2004, Forbes Magazine ranked Lawrence as the sixth-best smaller metro area to start a career
or business.
Boasts the most vibrant downtown shopping district in Kansas. Many have called Massachusetts
Street one of the most beautiful main streets in America.
Lawrence festivals provide a wealth of musical offerings. Music is a staple in the community. The
sounds of local talent can be heard echoing through the city’s streets both day and night.
The League of American Cyclists ranked Lawrence as one of the country’s most bike-friendly
towns in 2005.
“Golf Digest” consistently lists Lawrence’s Alvamar golf course among the 100 best public golf
courses in the nation.
Clinton Lake was ranked among the top 50 lakes in the country by Boating World magazine in
July 2000.
Massachusetts Street has been named one of the top-10 streets in America for 2010.

Located just 35 miles east of Lawrence,
Kansas City offers a wide variety of things to do, from
attending professional sporting events to spending a
day at a world-class amusement park.
The Truman Sports Complex is home to the
National Football League and Major League Baseball
with the Kansas City Chiefs and Royals playing in
side-by-side Arrowhead and Kauffman Stadiums.
The Kansas City Power & Light District is a
vibrant, new eight-block neighborhood in the heart
of downtown Kansas City with a combination of
entertainment, retail and nightlife. The many tastes,
flavors and entertainment options of the District makes each visit an exciting experience.
In Kansas City, Kan., just off I-70 sits the brand
new LIVESTRONG Sporting
park,
home of Major League Soccer’s Sporting KC, and the Kansas Speedway, which hosts two events
of NASCAR’s premier series, the NEXTEL Cup, each year as well as an IndyCar Series race.
No trip to Kansas City is complete without a visit to the Plaza. This 14-square block shopping and entertainment
district boasts romantic Spanish architecture, European art and dazzling fountains. Designed in 1922, the Plaza features
boutiques and fashionable national stores as well as distinctive restaurants, outdoor cafés and nightlife hotspots.